A power semiconductor component is formed for example as a vertical power transistor with compensation pillars. Such a power semiconductor component contains a semiconductor body having at least one drift zone of the first conductivity type, a multiplicity of source zones of the first conductivity type, a drain zone of the first conductivity type and a multiplicity of body zones of the second conductivity type.
Such a vertical power transistor furthermore contains at least one gate which forms a MOS structure with a drift zone, a source zone and with a body zone. It contains compensation pillars of the second conductivity type which are in electrical contact with the source zones and which project into the drift zone from above. An edge termination is situated between the edge and the MOS structure. The edge is at the same potential as the drift zone, so that the edge termination reduces voltage between the edge and the source zones. Such a vertical power transistor is known for example from U.S. Pat. No. 6,630,698.
A power semiconductor component may also be fashioned with field rings as a vertical power semiconductor component. Such a component contains a semiconductor body having at least one drift zone of the first conductivity type, a multiplicity of source zones of the first conductivity type, a multiplicity of body zones of the second conductivity type and a drain zone of the first conductivity type. The vertical power semiconductor component furthermore contains at least one gate which forms a MOS structure with a drift zone, a source zone and with a body zone. An edge termination having a multiplicity of field rings of the second conductivity type is situated between the edge and the MOS structure. The field rings enclose MOS structures. The edge is at the same potential as the drift zone, so that the edge termination reduces voltage between the edge and the source zone. Field rings are known for example from U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,028.
A power semiconductor component may also be formed as a lateral power semiconductor component having a front side, a rear side, and a lateral edge. It contains on its front side at least one drift zone, a source zone and a drain zone, which are of the first conductivity type, and at least one body zone of the second conductivity type. A gate is provided at the front side and forms a MOS structure with a drift zone, a source zone and a body zone. Such a lateral power semiconductor component is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,028.
Power semiconductor components are used inter alia for clocked switched-mode power supplies. Modern power semiconductor components enable switching frequencies in the high kHz range (60 kHz or more).
This leads on the one hand to a significant reduction of the structural volume of the switched-mode power supply, but on the other hand also to increased radiofrequency interference disturbances. In order to prevent such radio frequency interference disturbances from being coupled into the supply voltage network, minimum requirements are made of the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of power supplies. The radiofrequency interference disturbances that occur therefore can be filtered with a high outlay.
In this case, so-called power factor correctors can be used, which are also known as power factor controlling (PFC). They are formed either as active PFC circuits or as passive PFC circuits, depending on whether active or passive components are used.
In the case of passive PFC circuits, expensive filter components such as capacitors and inductors are generally used in order to comply with the corresponding standards for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).
Active PFC circuits are generally integrated circuits (ICs) containing active components such as transistors and diodes. There are active PFC circuits which are integrated together with a power semiconductor component on a single IC. The active PFC circuits are accordingly complicated to produce and may require a space within the switched-mode power supply, which increases the overall costs for the power supply.